NEW DELHI, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- India confirmed the purchase Wednesday of 66 Hawk jet trainers from Britain's BAE Systems, the Financial Times reported.
The order came as part of a $1.7 billion pilot training deal with Britain, which was approved by the Indian cabinet Wednesday.
BAE had campaigned for more than two decades to sell the jets. The British defense contractor clinched the deal following a fierce contest with rival Czech bidder Vodochody, which is 35 percent controlled by U.S.-based Boeing.
The Indian government has been close to approving the purchase of the Hawk jets on a number of occasions since the early 1980s. The most recent false start came last year when a decision was postponed after last-minute U.S. lobbying.
The deal, one of India's largest defense purchases in more than a decade, will be warmly welcomed by the air force which has suffered heavy losses among its new pilots because of the lack of a dedicated jet trainer.
